In-Person Full Day Camp · Bothell / Mill Creek

Curious Tech Explorers

Understanding the Technology Kids Use Every Day

How does YouTube know what to show you? How does your phone recognise your face? Kids explore the real answers this summer — through games, building, and hands-on projects (not lectures).

The curriculum

Five days that change how they see everything

Each day has a central question kids actually want answered, a game or simulation, a concept to unpack, and a hands-on build activity. No passive listening.

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Day 1 — Monday

How Does YouTube Know What to Show You — And Why Do Ads Follow You Around?

Your feed isn’t random. And those ads aren’t a coincidence.

🤳

Day 2 — Tuesday

How Does Your Phone Know It’s You — in a Split Second?

Face ID, AI, and pattern recognition. Kids also start designing their 3D creation.

🎙️

Day 3 — Wednesday

Why Does Alexa Sometimes Misunderstand You?

How voice AI processes language — and why it sometimes misses.

⚙️

Day 4 — Thursday

Could a Kid Build Their Own AI?

Kids design and build their own AI-powered project. 3D design finalised for printing.

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Day 5 — Friday ⭐

Final Demo Day — Kids Present Their AI Project

Present their work, collect their 3D printed creation. Parents warmly invited.

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Their Own AI Project

Designed, built & presented on Demo Day

🖨️

A 3D Printed Creation

Design → Build → Print → Take home Friday

How each day is designed

❓

Ask

The Big Question

A question kids actually want answered — about tech they already use.

→

🎮

Play

Game & Simulation

Hands-on activity that makes the concept tangible. No passive sitting.

→

🛠️

Build

Create Something

Work on their AI project or 3D design — applying what they just learned.

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Reflect & Explain

Kids explain what they discovered — reinforcing understanding through teaching.

Why this camp

What makes this different

Most camps teach kids to use technology. This one teaches them to understand it.

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Understand the tech — then immediately apply it

Kids don’t just learn how YouTube or Face ID works — they use that understanding to build something. Every concept leads directly to a hands-on activity the same day.

🎮

Game-based and hands-on — zero lectures

Each day: a question to answer, a game to play, a concept to unpack, and something to build. Kids are active from the first minute to the last.

🏗️

Two real projects — designed, built, taken home

An AI-powered project they design, build and present — plus a 3D creation they model, watch print, and take home Friday. Not kits. Not templates. Theirs.

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Everything connects — understanding leads to building

What they learn about algorithms, pattern recognition, and voice AI all feeds into what they build. Each day builds on the last — so by Friday, they can explain their own AI project confidently.

👥

Small groups — real personal attention

Intentionally small so every child actively participates, gets direct feedback, and walks away with something they genuinely built themselves.

👩‍🔬

Taught by someone who built the systems they study

An Amazon Alexa AI professional with a PhD and 10+ years of experience — not a generalist. She built the exact systems kids will explore and understand.

What your child gains

More than just tech knowledge

Skills, confidence, and awareness that will serve them long after camp week ends.

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Understand how AI systems actually work

Apps, algorithms, and AI — demystified. They'll know what's actually going on behind the screen.

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Think critically about technology

Not just use it. They'll start asking why, who built this, and what goal the designer had in mind.

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Design & build their own AI project

A recommendation app, voice assistant, or game logic — something they imagined and built themselves.

🎤

Present their idea with confidence

Stand up, explain their system, field real questions. Parents are invited to the final Demo Day session.

🛡️

Make smarter choices about technology

They learn how apps track behaviour and use data — so they grow up as thoughtful users, not passive consumers.

🖨️

Design, build & 3D print a physical creation — and take it home

Across the week kids design their own 3D model, build it using modelling tools, watch it print in real time, and take it home on Friday. From idea to finished physical object — entirely their own work.

Who should join

Perfect for kids who are naturally curious

📱

Curious how apps like YouTube or Alexa work

Kids who wonder why YouTube always knows what to show next — and want a real answer, not just "algorithms."

🎯

Enjoys games, discussions, and hands-on activities

Every session involves active games, simulations, and building. If they learn by doing, this is for them.

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Loves asking "how does this work?"

The kid who asks why, not just how. The one who wants to know what's actually going on behind the screen.

✅

No prior experience needed — at all

No coding, no tech knowledge required. If your child can use a phone, they're ready.

Your instructor

Taught by someone who built
the systems your child uses every day

Hema Sirsa

Hema has a PhD in Linguistics and has spent 10+ years working on AI — across research, data science, and product — from how machines understand language to how real-world systems are built and shipped, including on the Alexa team at Amazon.

She has taught at university level and designed interactive learning experiences for students across age groups — with a consistent focus on making complex ideas clear, accessible, and genuinely engaging.

"I've spent years building these systems — and I want kids to understand them early, so they grow up thinking about technology, not just using it."

🏢

Amazon — AI Professional

PhD · 10+ years · incl. Alexa team

🎓

PhD, Linguistics

University of Oregon

📄

Published Researcher

Multilingual speech & AI

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10+ Years in AI

Research through to shipping

👩‍🏫

University-Level Teaching

Interactive, accessible learning design

Based on parent feedback

We listened and expanded to a full-day camp

Many families told us they loved the curriculum but found a half-day schedule difficult to coordinate with work and summer logistics. We've expanded the camp to a full-day experience (10:00 AM–4:00 PM) — more project time, more hands-on activities, and lunch included.

✓ More project time
✓ More hands-on activities
✓ Lunch included
✓ Same small-group experience
✓ Same pricing

Common questions

Everything parents want to know

Does my child need coding or tech experience?

None at all. The camp is designed for curious kids, not future programmers. If your child can use a phone or tablet, they're ready.

How small is the group?

We keep group sizes small so every child gets real attention and actively participates in every activity throughout the week.

What exactly will my child build?

Two things: an AI-powered project they design, build and present on Demo Day — plus a 3D creation they design, build, watch print, and take home on Friday.

What does a typical day look like?

Morning technology exploration, hands-on AI activities, lunch and outdoor break, project building, creative challenges, and Demo Day preparation. The day is intentionally varied and active — not six hours of screen time.

Are parents invited to anything?

Yes — parents are warmly invited to the Friday Demo Day showcase, where kids present their AI projects and collect their 3D printed creations.

What's included in the price?

Everything: all materials, AI activities, 3D design sessions, the printed creation, lunch, healthy snacks, and the Friday Demo Day showcase.

How do I register and pay?

Register online and we'll confirm your spot within 24 hours. Payment details are sent directly to you after confirmation — your spot is secured on payment.

Curious Tech Explorers

Six big ideas. One connected week.